Changing company culture and reaping rewards with Todd Ludlow

The Fabricator Podcast

After Ludlow Manufacturing Inc. (LMI) received The Fabricator's 2024 Industry Award, Todd Ludlow, founder and president of the Waukegan, Ill.-based metal fabrication business, joined us on the podcast to expound on it all.

Ludlow discusses his journey of starting and growing his own fabrication business. He reflects on his early days as a machine operator and how transitioning into sales sales role helped him learn the industry. He emphasizes three important points that helped transform his business to the success it is today:

• The importance of having a strong company culture
• Giving up power to those better suited to serve the business
• An all-in approach on establishing a safe shop floor

Ludlow also discusses the impact of automation on his operations, including the use of robotic welding and parts sorting. He shares his optimism for the future and his plans for further growth, including expanding into tube laser cutting and investing in more robotic welding. He also mentions the involvement of his family in the business and the challenges and rewards that come with it.

At the top, the guys chat about a California-based welder/fabricator named Shaun Graham who was inspired enough by a previous episode to create an awesome sculpture of Garbage Pail Kids character Adam Bomb. Not to mention, he also fabricated a Michael Myers mask out of metal.

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